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Monday, August 2, 2010

Still Hanging In...

Nope, no internet yet. Still working on that, but even in the midst of it all I have new followers.

Woot!! Welcome to anyone who is new.

So I got a question from N. R. Williams (Nancy). What kind of Fantasy do I like?

I have to say, I'm partial to High Fantasy. Lord of the Rings sort of stuff. I like to write High Fantasy as well. I'm all about creating my own little world and having fun running it. I play games like Port Royale and Crusader just to get a feel for it. But I am also a history buff and participate in Medieval Re-enactment. Gimme a cutlass and allow me to don my pirate hat and away I go. Arrggh!

So yes, High Fantasy seems to be the favorite but I do read all sorts of fantasy. I've just picked up a couple of books at the local Salvation Army store of "Year's Best..." fantasy in my case. Several years old, but still good stories. There were a couple in there I didn't particularly care for, but hey, can't please them all can you?

That brings me to another subject I've been mulling over these past weeks. As I've been in and out of the library I run into all sorts of people and have had some fun conversations. One in particular was being asked what I wrote.

"Fantasy," I replied, trying not to grit my teeth. "Oh." There it was. That one tiny word with the downcast look as if I were a beggar on the street asking for alms for the poor.

"What?" I just had to ask, I couldn't resist and plastered a smile on my face as I spoke. "Do I have something in my teeth?"

I flustered the person and finally got an answer out of them about the subject of fantasy as in why do people say, "Oh". I was told, sincerely even, that fantasy is "okay, but there's no real work to it."

Insert whatever facial expression you desire. "No real work," I repeated. "Hmm... Well what do you call all the medieval history research I have to do to even make the fantasy that I write SEEM real to those who read it? I can't just make up a word for armor and expect it to fly. I have to show that I do know a little of what I write about. Not just 'he donned his barak for fighting...'" Okay now, I have to admit that was kinda cool. I could just make up stuff, I continued to explain patiently, but then I would lose the reader. They would see I have no intelligence, no real talent and no one would ever publish my book.

All writing is work. You can't just tell people that the genre of their choice sucks because they get to make up stuff. How many others have been told this very thing or did I just get lucky enough to find the one person who would be honest with me about it way up here in my corner of the world???

I'll stop ranting now. :D I'm sure you all missed that. ::Snorts:: Anyway, N. R. Williams, I hope that answers your question and then some. I see you are a fantasy author and would love to look you up on the internet. I will do just that. Perhaps I could get some pointers from you, what do you say? ;)

Have a great week everyone. I will be back as soon as I am able. Miss you all terribly.

Mel:It sounds like you and I are twins. I am also a Caledonia Lass, a little old though to be a Lass. I love three things the most, dogs, writing fantasy and Renaissance Festivals. We'll there are a lot of other things I love too, like my grandchildren and their mothers. We can be pals and I'll invite you to my online critique group if you're interested. I write epic fantasy, and I made up a lot of my world. It's Medieval but with a lot of up grades, like working bathrooms. LOLNancyN. R. Williams, fantasy author

Like high fantasy...I hope you'll check out mine. If it seems a bit too derivative of Tolkien at first, I hope you'll read my posts far enough to find out that there is something more to it! Glad I found your blog.

About Me

M. L. Chesley is a fantasy author, wife, mother and Creative Director for Midian Entertainment. When she's not writing, she's working. When she's not working, she's editing. In her downtime, she crafts, camps, and games.